European elections 2024: Ursula von der Leyen to form pro-Ukraine coalition

European Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen, the leading candidate for the presidency from the European People’s Party (EPP), has expressed her intention to form a coalition with political groups that are pro-European and pro-Ukrainian. She made this announcement after the preliminary results of the European Parliament elections showed the center-right EPP in the lead.

“I thank the voters for their trust. Today is a good day for the European People’s Party. We have won the European elections. At this moment, we are the strongest party and a foundation for stability. I am grateful to the voters who recognized our leadership over the past five years,” von der Leyen said.

The EPP will build a strong “center” in the European Parliament with a clear pro-European and pro-Ukrainian stance. “I have always said that I want to build a broad majority for a strong Europe. I demonstrated during my first mandate what a strong Europe can achieve. My goal is to continue on this path with forces that are pro-European, pro-Ukrainian, and advocate for the rule of law. Starting tomorrow, this work will begin again,” von der Leyen emphasized.

Over the past weeks, Ursula von der Leyen has conducted an active campaign, traveling to 17 European countries and more than 30 cities. Her aim was to engage directly with citizens to understand their concerns and priorities. According to von der Leyen, the feedback indicates that citizens hold the European Union in high regard, approaching it with a sense of confidence and trust.

“These elections have sent us two messages. First, there is a majority in the ‘center’ for a strong Europe, and this is critically important for stability. This ‘center’ is preserved. But it is also true that both the extreme left and right have gained support. This is why these results carry a huge responsibility for the parties in the ‘center.’ We may have differences on various points, but we all have an interest in stability, and we all want to see a strong and effective Europe,” the European leader said.

The European Parliament elections were held from June 6 to 9. Preliminary results suggest that the European People’s Party (EPP) is set to become the largest political group in the new European Parliament. They are followed by the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) in second place, and Renew Europe, a liberal political group that supports Ukraine’s EU accession and providing military assistance to Kyiv, in third place.

Earlier, the UWC appealed to European Union (EU) citizens to Stand with Ukraine when voting in the 2024 European elections.